County Commissioners have again denied the state grant for new Health Department phones. 

At the county Budget and Finance Committee meeting Thursday night, the Warren County Health Department was requesting the approval of $16,299 for a complete phone upgrade. This money would be reimbursed by the state, but most commissioners felt it would be a waste of money considering Warren County is getting a new Health Department soon. 

“Aren’t we getting a new Health Department?” asked Commissioner Christy Ross who was absent the last time the committee discussed this.

“They want 56 phones and we have 12 county employees out there and somebody told me we have 12 state employees, making it 24 people. My question was why does everybody need two phones?” asked Commissioner Cole Taylor.

Accountant for the Health Department, Tammy Stewart, reached out to the county and explained the money would be reimbursed. Health Department director Andrea Fox says a new phone system would be installed when they get a new building. 

“Andrea and I had this discussion about the removal and re-installation fees and she said that when a new Health Department is built they always put a new phone system in there. So this one would be left with the old building,” said Commissioner Scott Rubley.

“The state has discontinued its contract with Black Box and all the other health departments in the region are moving to IP phones,” said Finance Department director Justin Cotten. “In a previous email she indicated to me that the $4,000 or $5,000 transfer would be included in the price, so these phones would go with them to the new Health Department. The phones would go, they wouldn’t stay according to one of the emails I got today.” 

Ross asked when the new Health Department had to be built. 

“By the terms of the grant, we have to have it done by 2025,” said Cotten.

“They aren’t out of phones though,” said Commissioner Carl D. Bouldin.

“No they aren’t out of phones, they are just out of service contract,” said Cotten.

“That was her argument. That now if there are any issues, it has to come out of her budget to fix it. The argument is that it is state money, not local money,” Rubley said.

“So if they don’t get these new phones, their service contract is expiring,” said Commissioner Tommy Savage.

“It already has. Their phone is not going to be cut off, just if they break they will have to pay someone to come fix it,” said Cotten.

“Or they could go to Walmart, buy one and plug it in,” suggested Bouldin.

“They probably have something crazy like we’ve got where you can’t do that,” said Cotten. “(The email) did indicate there is another health department in the region that was in the same situation with the contract out and now they are completely out of phones. They have no phones or internet because I guess there was something in their server.”

“Do you know the name of it where we can talk to them and verify that?” asked Bouldin.

Cotten told him it was White County. Savage made a motion to approve the money and the motion failed due to lack of a second.